Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-07-28
From GOOdwater.

Ed. ReglSter-We have again Deen SUD-
jected to the i'll effects of a protracted drouth.
During the last fortnight not drop of rain
has fallen on this locality and the intensity
of the heat has been so great as to rapidly
evaporate the moisture from our fields /:
hence no little damage has resulted to plant.
growth; especially so to corn, as, since wheat
and oats have been harvested, the festive
chinch. bug has taken charge Of many fields
of that cereal. 1t is claimed by some farmers
that during a wet spell the chinch- bugs raw.
ages arc not so extensive and that the growth
of corn is so much increased by an abundant
supply of moisture as to, In great measure,
neutralize the effects of the bugs work. For
a while, heavy dews refreshed corn &c. night
after night, but during the past three nights
scarcely any dew fell; in consequence the
ground and plants thereon were not cooled
or refreshed sufficiently to Withstand, for
even one hour, the damaging heat of the sun.
Mr.. Editor, have from time to time, ask
ed questions of the readers and correspon.
dents, hoping to receive from one or more Of
them instructive answers; but In nearly or
quite all cases said questions have been
treated with silent contempt by those to
whom they were referred. OF course, feel
that am given to understand that the quer-
les were allowed to remain unanswered, not
because of their unimportance, but rather
because the one who asked them Is consid.
cred as being unworthy the notice of your
readers and correspondents; in other words,
am forced to feel that am ostraciZed or
''boycotted" by them. However I will ask
a. 60 htoI, II halt
would be of general interest. Then, il you
| see fit to publish my questions and no one
sees fit to answer them NO one will be less
wise than before; on the other hand, every
important question answered properly will
give bit of knowledge to more than one of
your many readers who are not aboye re.
ceiving instruction.
Many writer's have, during the past decade,
written on the subject of drouth; in all the
articles pertaining to the subject that re.
member having read, the prime, and in most
instances the sole, reason given for the pre-
valence of fearful drouths in certain given
localities was the ruthless destruction OF
| forests; 1t is claimed, among other things,
that the absence of protection from the sums
| rays facilitates the evaporation of moisture
| that countries once well timbered but after
| wards robbed of the shade afforded by said
timber, suffer much, and more frequently,
than they once did from protracted drouths,
and that, on the other hand, 1t has been
demonstrated that timber culture, where
successfully pursued for number Of years
on large bodies of land previously timber.
less, greatly increased the average Of the an.
nual rainfall on said tracts of land. With.
out attempting to critically analyze the
philosophy of the reasoning given by the
writers alluded to will ask: 1. Are there
not other things besides the beneficial infiu-
ence of timber in large bodies on the rainfall
| that are to be considered? In other words,
| is an abundance of timber-dense forests
| the only factor necessary to assure to given
country copious rainfall during the grow.
ing season? 2. II so, why is that here, In
Southeast Missouri, which is, as all will sure.
" admit, blessed with an abundance of tim.
Der, sufficiently outrageous for all practical
purposes, the number, extent and duration
of drouths have become SO distressingly
great as to cause not few thoroughly earn.
est and practical farmers to realize that till.
ing the soil is by no means sure to be follow
ed by even q reasonable yield of the crops
cultivated. 8. II dense forests alone will
not secure to region of country rainfall
sufficient to ensure the proper growth and
maturity of our cereals, what other factors
are there whose presence in the climate OF
conformation will secure the desired bless.
ing?
trust that the above queries will be prop.
erly answered by some Of your many wide.
awake, practical readers.
| have been informed that Mr.. r. j. Alcorr
Is teaching school near Burbois, Mo.
A large number Of the residents in thii
and adjoining communities attended the
trial before Justice Cureton, last Saturday
of the Ramsey -Sumpter case. Messrs. Jor.
dan and Nieder attended In theirprofession-
III capacities. The trial resulting in "h Ing
Jury" q new trial wss ordered to take place
on the 18th instant.
Messrs. Sylvester and James Payne went
to the vicinity Of Belleview to aid some Of
the farmers in haying.
4 n~,txv noo .lr fhns,of having In thfs